To produce dental prosthesis based on lithium silicate glass-ceramic, it is known to produce cylindrical pellets and to subsequently grout them in a muffle (see, for instance, EP-B-1 484 031). This is a proven and accepted method, although also suggestions are known, according to which a lithium silicate glass melt is cast, as can be learned from U.S. Pat. No. 4,515,634.
In DE-A-29 49 619, it is described that a lithium silicate-based melt can be cast to produce a dental restoration. The glass does not contain P2O5.
For producing a lithium silicate-based precursor, U.S. Pat. No. 5,698,482 suggests to produce pellets by casting or uniaxial or isostatic pressing.
DE-A-10 2009 060 274 as well as WO-A-2012/059143 teach methods to produce a dental prosthesis from lithium disilicate glass-ceramic.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,507,981 teaches a method to produce a dental prosthesis, in the course of which a ceramic melt is fed to a negative mold by means of vacuum and pressure. A method to produce lithium silicate glasses or lithium silicate glass-ceramics is known from DE-A-10 2010 050 275.
The present invention is based on the problem to develop a method of the aforementioned type so that reproducible dental prosthesis can be produced by casting based on lithium silicate glass and lithium silicate glass-ceramic, respectively. In contrast to the prior art, simplified manufacturing techniques shall be given. Also, a starting material should be provided that can be managed without problems.